Anglo American halts South Africa operations

WilliamSpain

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Anglo American, the world's leading platinum producer, halted its operations in South Africa on Wednesday amid fears that a wave of strikes could get even worse, AFP reports. The company took the action as turmoil hit roads leading to its Rusternburg mines, located in the same area where 45 people have died so far in a month-long wildcat strike. "We have taken this decision to suspend our operations in order to help ensure the safety of our employees," Cynthia Carroll, chairwoman of Anglo American Platinum
AAL, +0.68%
[za:AMS], told the wire service. "Our people want to work and it is unacceptable that they are not able to go to work safely and instead are facing considerable intimidation." Mining accounts for about 20% of the country's GDP, but it has been hit hard by the strikes that began at the world's richest platinum mines and spilled into the gold mining sector.

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